The task of computer network and systems management is challenged with the complexities of the systems networked in variety of ways. With large numbers of connected computers and other devices, it is difficult to manage a network. Many common network management tools use a process called “discovery of the network.” Discovery of a network of computers or other devices typically involves finding information about which devices are connected to the network. Among the categories of information discovered are, for example, IP addresses of the devices, types of devices, or capabilities of the devices. Among the networked devices that can be “discovered” are computers, printers, servers, switches, modems, etc.
The discovery data of a network is typically used for network management or administration. The data can be formatted into a table or a network “tree” which can then be displayed or manipulated for network management purposes.
Typical network management tools use various ways to discover the network. Most of these are not scalable and break down for the discovery of systems on the Internet. One example of a network discovery method is commonly referred to as a “ping sweep” method. In the ping sweep method, an operator or network administrator sends individual queries to the network from a console. The queries, or “pings,” are messages to the network that are directed to a particular device or group of devices that respond with a return message. One example of a ping sweep network search method requires the network administrator to search by IP addresses, incrementing the last digit (or set of digits) of the IP address, for example, until a particular device with the generated IP address is found. The ping sweep method of network discovery is a time consuming manual process. Network traffic is also increased when the ping sweep method is used. One way to shorten time required for a ping sweep search is to use a broadcast method. Broadcasting a ping sweep, however, also creates added network traffic.